Meant to Be Part V: Eyes Are Windows to the Soul
by betterthings89
Summary: This part chronicles Lilly and Oliver's life after two years of marriage. Reviews are welcomed!


_NOTE: This story takes place 10 years after "Meant to Be" Parts I&II, 2 years after Part IV, and 1 year after "Beautifully Sad"._

_PREVIOUSLY:_

"_Lilly Truscott, will you marry me?"_

"_Oh yes Oliver!"_

"_So how does it feel to be Lilly Oken now? It has a nice ring to it doesn't it?" Oliver said._

"_What's wrong Oliver?" And all of a sudden they were all painfully silent. "My mom just died."_

"_Umm, Oliver, well I'm pregnant." she said quietly._

"_You might think of your mother dying every time our little boy smiles at you." Lilly Said._

_But what they knew was that they had each other, and soon one other._

**Meant to Be: Part V: **

**The Eyes are Windows to the Soul**

At three months old Jimmy Oken had extremely powerful lungs. It was the middle of the night and he was crying for the hundredth time. "I'll take care of it," Oliver said groggily, "You should try to go back to sleep, Lil." He rolled out of bed and made his way over to the crib on the other side of their room. Lilly said nothing; she just lay there and tried to sleep. But it wasn't easy. Taking care of a baby was hard work. But Lilly Oken loved her son. He already looked a little like Oliver. She didn't know what it was, but there was already something about his appearance that reminded her of Oliver. She figured she would find out what it was as he got bigger.

Morning came early the next day. Lucky for Lilly, Jimmy came in March so she only had to take leave for the three months before the middle school she taught at closed for summer vacation. This meant that their son would be at least six months old by the time they had to start putting him in day care.

Around noon that day Lilly and Oliver took their son with them over to Miley and Jake's house. Now that Jake was a director there were no longer hordes of fans following him around. And his first film "18 Again" had not been an overwhelming success. It seemed that people had seen the likeness to a movie from the last decade.

Although Miley and Jake had been married for a year longer than Lilly and Oliver, they were not yet ready to be parents. That didn't stop Miley from wanting to hold Jimmy every time she saw him. And sure enough the moment they set foot in the house Miley said "Awe he's so cute! Ya'll mind if I hold him?" And of course they didn't mind. Miley was by common sense Jimmy's godmother. They decided that the godparents shouldn't both be related so Jake couldn't be Jimmy's Godfather. They were considering Oliver's younger brother Owen for the role of The Godfather.

As Miley held him she said things that you would expect. "He's got Lilly's eyes!" she said as she looked into his piercing blue eyes. When she heard him making sputtering sounds with his mouth she said "Oliver are you already trying to teach the little feller to beat box? Sweat niblets I'm starting to sound like my dad!"

But there was one thing Miley said that was really insightful and spiritual. She stared into Jimmy's eyes once again and said "He has such beautiful blue eyes. You know they say a person's eyes are windows to their soul." "That is so wise Miley." said Lilly, looking perplexed. "It's true you guys. Just by looking into his eyes I can already tell things about him. You can tell he's sweet and special like his parents. He looks so happy and confident, just like you two have always been." Miley continued. "This is getting way to touchy feely!" Jake groaned. They all glared at him.

Later on they put the baby down to sleep, and Robbie Ray came over for lunch. Jackson couldn't come because he was out with his girlfriend on their two year anniversary. Everyone was surprised that he had been able to hang on to this relationship for so long. But they were all staying out of it, because when they interfered with Jacksons' relationships they tended to crash and burn.

It had been a year since Oliver's mother had passed away, but Robbie Ray was still being extremely cautious about his health. He had partially broken his addiction to pie. They offered him numerous things but he was adamant about watching what he ate. They were finally able to get him to eat soup and a salad. But he didn't pass up a piece of pie on the side.

Half way into their conversation after lunch the baby began to cry again. So Lilly went to change him. "Wow it's been tough having a son now." Oliver said. "But how does it feel to be a father Oliver? You don't regret it, do you? Cause you sort of sound like you do." Miley said. "Not for a minute, I don't regret it at all! Being a dad is the most amazing thing in the world, as far as I'm concerned. I love Jimmy so much; I can't keep my eyes off him. He just lies there but I can see the content in his eyes. There are all sorts of things that I'm looking forward to, that until he was born I never thought I would care about" Oliver said. "Well, like what sorta things?" asked Robbie Ray. "I can't wait to see him walk for the first time. I keep wondering what his first word will be. Those kinds of things. I know everybody thinks about those things but I feel like it's all an adventure." He said. "Wow that's so deep Oliver. Who knew you had it in you!" said Miley. "I know, right. I think being a parent changes you." Oliver said. "I also see intelligence in his eyes, even though he's only three months old, I can tell he's thinking about things." "I wonder where he get's that from?" Miley said. "I think it's from his Uncle Jake!" said Jake. They all gave him a look.

"Miley, do you think you and Jake could take Jimmy tomorrow? Lilly and I haven't had any time to ourselves since he was born." Oliver said. "I thought you said you couldn't get enough of the little feller." Said Robbie Ray. "I can't, and I know for the first year or so there's not going to be any time for Lilly and I to be romantic. But I was hoping for one day… you know?" "We'd be happy to take care of him for a day, Oliver, he's already like part of the family anyway!" said Miley. "We would? He is?" mumbled Jake. "Yes we will Jake Ryan!" snapped Miley.

The next day Lilly and Oliver slept in. Something they hadn't been able to do for the past three months. When they woke up they had toast and eggs. Usually all they had time for was toast. Then they got to looking at each other for the first time in a while. Oliver noticed how beautiful Lilly looked, although he always noticed how beautiful she looked holding the baby as if being a mother was always something she was meant for. "You know what we haven't done in a while Oliver?" asked Lilly. No more words where needed. They came close and shared a long, warm, passionate kiss. "I love you so much Lilly!" "I love you more every day Oliver. And we are going to be wonderful parents!" Lilly said as she sat back on the couch and relaxed. "What do you mean we're _going_ to be? We already are!" Oliver replied. They both laughed happily. They knew it was true, they were great parents, and would be in the future too.

An hour later when noon rolled around they decided to go out to the beach. They cleaned their surf boards and walked down to Mateo's (Rico's brother) shack. They talked to friends about how amazing it was to be parents and how amazing their son was. Joanie Palumbo even talked to them with the happy bubbly personality she had acquired over the last few years. There was one person that was just sitting in the background with a scowl on his face, a look of deep seated jealousy, because none of his relationships had succeeded due to trust issues. That was of course one of Lilly's ex's from high school, Lucas Tomland.

When they were finally done talking they proceeded to the beach. They didn't try to surf on the same board as they sometimes did. However they did try to kiss each other. And as usual they fell off their boards and washed in with the waves.

They did something they hadn't done in several years. They ate dinner out on the beach. Then they sat there rapped in each others' arms and watched the sun set over the ocean, occasionally saying something romantic and kissing each other. Then after the sun set they spent at least the next hour in sweet blissful silence, holding each other and looking at the stars.

They walked home together that night happy and evermore in love. Their child had strengthened their love by many folds. They could not be surer than they were at this very moment that their love, and their life together, and whatever else life may bring, was **meant to be.**

The next morning when they reunited with their son, they were so happy to see him. When they looked into his beautiful blues eyes they almost felt that they could see the future. They definitely saw the happiness in his eyes, and the happiness he would bring.

Robbie Ray showed up around lunch time to visit with all of them. "You know that kid is cuter than a pup on the fourth of July!" said Robbie Ray in a decidedly country accent.

"You know what Mr. Stewart, will you be Jimmy's Godfather?" asked Lilly. Oliver smiled in approval. "I'd be happier than Uncle Earle the day he learned how ta put extra holes in his belt. I would be honored to be The Godfather." Robbie Ray said. Lilly put the baby into Robbie's arms, and he looked down at it jovially.

Just then Jackson came bursting through the door. "Guess what everybody! I asked Marlene to marry me and she said 'YES!' We're engaged!" he exclaimed happily, with an ear to ear grin on his face. "I'm proud of you son! I prouder than Uncle Earle the day he found Aunt Pearl on the Stairmaster!" said Robbie Ray. Everyone laughed. Robbie Ray's Uncle Earle antic dotes where always hilarious. "You must be so happy Jackson!" said Miley as she hugged her brother. "I'm happier than the day Aunt Pearl found Uncle Earle putting the sweat niblets back in the fridge without finishing them!" Jackson joked.

Robbie handed Jimmy over to Oliver as he went over to give his son a hug. Oliver gazed into his son's eyes and at that moment he understood what Miley meant when she said that "The eyes are the windows to a person's soul". He really felt he was gazing into his sons' soul at this very moment. And what he saw was a very gentle and intelligent person.

Everything that happened to Lilly and Oliver together, good or bad, happy or sad, it all seemed to bring them closer together and back to the same conclusion, it was **meant to be**.

_1 Year Later_

Lilly and Oliver had enjoyed seeing their sons' first steps months ago. He was starting to attempt to form words, but nothing solid yet. He had said very little in the way of real words besides what may have been "Momma" or "Dadda" they weren't quite sure. He had dark black hair just like Oliver, and Oliver wanted to let it grow long as his once had. Jimmy still had piercing blue eyes, just like Lilly. His chin was starting to look like it was coming to a point the way Oliver's did. He was starting look a lot like Oliver. Lilly loved the fact that he did seem to be filled with sweetness and joy, just like Oliver. Every time Jimmy smiled at them, warmth and happiness poured into them.

One day they took Jimmy for his very first walk on the beach, now that he could always keep his balance. After a while he started to look tired. So Oliver scooped him up and he rapped his tiny hands around the back of Oliver's neck.

"Oliver I've got some great news! I don't know how you're gonna take it though." Lilly said lightly.

"This isn't about not having to change Jimmy's diapers anymore is it?" Oliver asked playfully.

"Noo! It's not!" Lilly said good-humoredly.

"Then what is it Lilly?" Oliver asked as Jimmy's head came to rest on Oliver's shoulder, and he fell peacefully asleep.

"Oliver I'm pregnant again." Lilly said quietly.

Oliver said nothing for several seconds, and then simply said "Lilly that's wonderful." And he really meant it too. Although he wasn't sure how to feel. Certainly he was overjoyed. But at the same time they had just gotten Jimmy through his first year, he had just gotten used to the one child. He didn't know how he felt about starting again with another child. But they had both wanted it, and he knew whatever happened, it was **meant to be**.

"So Lilly, what is it?" Oliver asked quietly, so he wouldn't wake Jimmy.

"It's a…"

**-To Be Continued-**

_Notes to the readers:_

_*I hope you enjoyed this, the seventh, installment to my "Meant to Be" saga._

_**I know as the saga goes on, the characters seem much different than they do in the show. That's because of a few different things. I'm not the one writing the show. The other reason is that, at this point they are supposed to be older than they are in the show, in this part they are twenty-seven, then twenty-eight. So they are supposed to be older, wiser (smarter), and more mature. So that's why they seem different._

_*** Part VI will pick up where this part left off. Then it will most likely jump a year ahead to where the second child is a few months old and Jimmy is two years old._

_****Reviews are much appreciated, on this, and my other installments. _


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